LUA: Sei and I walk down the block to the coffee shop and get strawberry frappes. After a brief discussion, we decide to sit at one of the outside tables so we can watch people go by as we drink our drinks. "Are you sure this was a good idea?" I ask. Sei looks at me, puzzled. "What? You usually love getting a strawberry frappe." I reach over and ruffle her hair. "Not that, silly. Leaving Lucy and Suyeon alone." Sei takes a sip of her drink as she ponders this. "You mean the Unnie-est Unnie versus the Littlest Maknae in a special no-holds-barred cage match without a referee?" Lua nod, laughing a little at Sei’s creative characterization of the situation. "Something like that. What if we get back and they haven't worked it out? What if things have gotten worse?" Sei looks around at all the couples walking up and down the street. "Well, for one thing, OT4 would be off the table. That would be pretty much the worst — to have 3 girlfriends and 2 of them can't get along." I stop to think about this for a moment, considering the various possibilities. "If we do split up the foursome, I think you and I should be a couple. No reason you and I should be alone just because Lucy and Suyeon can't get along." Sei look at me with a serious expression on her face. "Are you sure you're not just scared of being single again?" I shake her head. "No, it's not like that. I feel like you and I have gotten a lot closer recently, and I really like you. Like, really really like." Sei laughs. "You always did have a way with words." I know I don’t have a gift for expressing myself like Sei and Suyeon do, but they’re the only ones who can tease me about it, because I know that it is just teasing, and not them saying that I’m stupid. I mean, I might be stupid. I feel stupid sometimes. . . As this train of thought is running through my head, Sei has apparently been carefully considering my situation, because she starts talking as if we haven’t been sitting here in silence for most of a minute. "I think it's a good idea — I'm surprised you and I had never dated before this — I just wanted to be sure I wasn't your security blanket." I shake her head. "No, it's not like that at all. I'm sure if the foursome blew up, Lucy and I could go back to being a couple, but if she and Suyeon blow the foursome up, I'd rather be with you. I hope I never have to make the choice, but if I do, that's what I would want to choose." Sei reaches over and pulls me into a side hug, being careful to stay within the bounds of acceptable displays of affection between female friends. "That sounds good,” she says, “but hopefully it won't come to that — hopefully our girlfriends are working things out and everything will be okay." SUYEON: After I’ve cried myself out and managed to calm down somewhat, I know I’ve got to go out and face the music. I open my bedroom door and walk out. After the darkness of my bedroom, the common room light is blinding — it takes my eyes a moment to adjust. Once they do, I see that Lucy is sitting alone on the couch and everyone else has vanished. "Where is everybody?" I ask. "They're all out and about," Lucy says. "Yoojung decided they all should go out and let you and me have the apartment to talk." Leave it to Yoojung to know the right thing to do. "I'm feeling calmer now,” I say. “How about you?" Lucy nods. "You're not mad at me, unnie?" she asks, her voice sounding hopeful. I not going to lie to her. "I didn't say that," I say. "I just said I was calmer." I’m still a little bit mad, but even that is rapidly fading as I see the effect I’ve had on Lucy. Lucy wraps her arms around herself and squishes down into a corner of the couch. "I'm not trying to cause problems, unnie," she says in a small voice. "I just don't think you're being fair." I flop down onto the couch, and I notice that Lucy squishing herself into the smallest possible package and scooting away from her. "Okay, let's start there," Suyeon say, the last of my anger draining away. "I'm sorry I lost my temper and was about to slap you." Lu